The Dunlop family joined special guests for the Joey Dunlop 25 event launch held in Ballymoney Museum on Monday 24th March 2025.
Pictured (l-r) are road racer Michael Swann, Gary Dunlop with son Remy, Alderman John McAuley, Linda Dunlop, Stephen McMaw representing Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Joanne and Michael McCammond with son Hudson, BBC presenter Stephen Watson, road racer Phillip McCallen, and front road racer Bruce Anstey.
The legacy of motorcycling icon Joey Dunlop will be honoured at a special free event in Ballymoney on Saturday, May 24, 2025.
The "Joey 25" celebration, marking 25 years since his passing, will take place in his hometown and is hosted by the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
This unique tribute will bring together over 25 motorcycling legends—past and present—to celebrate the life of one of Northern Ireland’s greatest sporting ambassadors.
The afternoon will feature the largest-ever display of Joey’s motorcycles, showcasing his remarkable career. That evening, these iconic machines will roar to life as a star-studded lineup rides them in a closed-road parade through Ballymoney’s town centre.
The Dunlop family at the Joey Dunlop 25 event launch held in Ballymoney Museum on Monday 24th March 2025. Pictured (l-r) Gary Dunlop with son Remy, Linda Dunlop, Joanne and Michael McCammond with son Hudson.
Among the celebrated riders attending are World Superbike Champions Carl Fogarty and Jonathan Rea, Grand Prix stars Ron Haslam, Jeremy McWilliams and Eugene Laverty, British champions Leon Haslam and Adrian Coates, North West 200 record holder Alastair Seeley, BSB standout and NW200 superbike king Glenn Irwin, and 11-time Irish champion Michael Swann.
Double World Formula 2 Champion Brian Reid will also join Joey’s former teammates, rivals, and friends, including Alan Irwin, Trevor Steele, Con Law, Raymond McCullough, and Leslie McMaster, for this one-of-a-kind anniversary event.
Leading a dazzling contingent of road racing talent is world record holder Ryan Farquhar, alongside multiple Isle of Man TT and North West 200 champions Michael Rutter, Bruce Anstey, Phillip McCallen, Adrian Archibald, and Ian Simpson, as well as Irish champions Paul Robinson, James Courtney, Denis McCullough, Steve Cull, and Michael McGarrity.
It’s expected that the Dunlop family will be represented in the parade by Joey’s daughter Donna McLean and Michael McCammond, husband of Joey’s youngest daughter, Joanne.
Thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to flock to Ballymoney to honour the five-time World Champion, who tragically lost his life at 48 in a racing accident in Estonia in 2000.
“We couldn’t imagine a better way to remember Joey than with an event in his hometown,” said Joey’s wife, Linda.
“This milestone anniversary is a poignant time for our family, and we’re deeply grateful to the local council for organising this event. Seeing so many of Joey’s original bikes displayed and ridden through the town is truly special.”
BBC presenter Stephen Watson, pictured with road racers Phillip McCallen, Bruce Anstey and Michael Swann at the Joey Dunlop 25 event launch held in Ballymoney Museum on Monday 24th March 2025.
The Joey 25 event, scheduled two weeks after the North West 200, promises to cap a bustling period for the Borough.
“We’re excited to welcome fans from all around the world to this extraordinary Joey 25 celebration,” said Councillor Ciaran McQuillan, the youngest mayor in the history of the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
“Joey was a local legend and a global ambassador—not just for Ballymoney, but for our entire region and beyond. It’s only fitting that we celebrate his enduring legacy in style.”
Plans are also in motion to fly some riders in from the Isle of Man, where they are preparing for the TT. The Joey 25 event will also feature a “meet the riders” session, autograph signings, live music, and additional entertainment.
As part of the festivities, a memorabilia exhibition will run from April at Ballymoney’s museum, with further tributes planned at the North West 200 and a parade of race bikes at the Classic Bike Festival Ireland in August.